JPH10192055A - Motor-driven tooth brush - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a motor-driven tooth brush capable of introducing fluorine ions into tooth, effectively exterminating bacteria and removing the element of plaque formation and plaque with one motor-driven tooth brush. SOLUTION: This tooth brush is provided with electrically conductive bristles on one side implanted to the brush part 2 of the tooth brush, electrically conductive bristles on the other side implanted by being insulated from these bristles, a control circuit 10 switching the polarity of voltage alternately applied to these conductive bristles, a grasping electrode 12 provided for a handle part 9 on a side opposite to the part 2 and a battery 11 supplying a power source for the conductive bristles through the circuit 10 and the electrode 12. In the case, plus is applied to bristles on one side at the former half of the applying of voltage, minus is applies to the bristles on the other side at the latter half of voltage, and a current flowing through these conductive bristles flows through a battery being the power source with a human hand.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an electronic toothbrush and, more particularly, to an electronic toothbrush for sterilizing an oral cavity and removing plaque.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art The mouth of a normal person without damage such as suppuration is neutral to weakly acidic. However, if there is a suppuration part due to alveolar pyorrhea, the part is acidic, and naturally the protein in that part is acidic. Is present as a positive ion, and the oral cavity is also acidic. In order to improve the suppuration state such as the alveolar pyorrhea, for example, as described in JP-A-2-283310, the positive electrode of the battery is connected to the brush portion, and the negative electrode is exposed on the handle, When used, the current flows in the direction of the positive pole brush part-suppuration part-tooth part-body-hand-minus pole handle part, and drives protein ions in the suppuration part in the brush direction to remove bacteria in the oral cavity is there.

On the other hand, as described above, the mouth of a normal person without damage such as suppuration is neutral to weakly acidic, and the protein of plaque is negatively charged.
As described in Japanese Patent Publication No. 390, the negative electrode of the battery is connected to the brush portion, and the positive electrode is exposed to the handle portion.
At the time of use, it is used in combination with a dentifrice containing fluorine, and in the opposite direction to the above, a current flows in the direction of the positive pole hand-body-tooth part-brush part, and fluorine ions are electrically penetrated into the tooth Some have done so.

[0004]

As described above, the conventional electronic toothbrush has a disadvantage that a current flowing in a completely opposite direction must be used depending on the health condition in the mouth. In addition, when bacteria in the oral cavity are electrochemically sterilized, a certain potential [Yoji Kitajima et al. Electrochemistry Vol.5
6, No. 12, 1082-1085 (1988) The theory requires that the electrode voltage be maintained at 1.6 V or more.] However, in the above-mentioned conventional electronic toothbrush, the electrode of the brush portion is not the brush hair itself, but the flock portion. , For example, on the stem of a toothbrush.

[0005] Therefore, the distance from the electrode to the teeth or gums is large. For this reason, the area through which the current flows to the teeth or gums is large, and the current cannot be concentrated locally. For this reason, the effect of flowing current is weakened, and the potential between the brush electrode and the human body is kept constant at the minimum potential required for sterilization, or the minimum energy required for peeling plaque is maintained It is extremely difficult to perform the operation, and if the potential is increased more than necessary, it gives a feeling of discomfort to a person at the time of use and causes inconvenience.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned conventional inconveniences, and it is an object of the present invention to be able to reliably introduce fluorine ions into a tooth with a single electronic toothbrush and to reduce the number of bacteria. Can be effectively eliminated,
An object of the present invention is to provide a plaque-forming element and an electronic toothbrush capable of removing plaque.

[0007]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In order to achieve the above-mentioned object of the present invention, the present invention relates to a method of forming a brush on a brush portion of a toothbrush. The conductive hair on the other side, a control circuit for switching the polarity of a voltage alternately applied to the conductive hair, a gripping electrode provided on a handle portion opposite to the brush portion, An electronic toothbrush comprising: a circuit; and a battery for supplying power to the conductive bristle via a gripping electrode.
In the first half of the voltage application, a positive voltage is applied to the hair on one side, and in the second half of the voltage, a negative voltage is applied to the hair on the other side. The battery is characterized by flowing through the battery.

[0008]

Next, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a side view showing an electronic toothbrush according to the present invention, and also shows a part of an internal electronic circuit. In FIG. 1, reference numeral 1 denotes a toothbrush main body. A brush part 2 is provided on the upper surface of one end of the toothbrush body 1. As shown in FIG. 2, the brush portion 2 has four rows of bristles 3, 4, 5, 6 in the longitudinal direction of the toothbrush main body 1.
Has been planted. These hairs 3 to 6 are made of conductive fibers such as carbon fiber and stainless fiber. These hairs 3 and 4 are connected by a conductive wire 7. Also,
The hairs 5 and 6 are connected by a conductive wire 8. These conductive wires 7 and 8 are connected to a control circuit 10 embedded in a handle portion 9 of the toothbrush body 1 as shown in FIG.
Reference numeral 11 denotes a battery inserted into the end of the handle portion 9 and is provided detachably from the outside. Reference numeral 12 denotes a gripping electrode provided on the handle portion 9 and held by a user's hand, and is connected to a conductive circuit 13 derived from the control circuit 10.

FIG. 3 is a detailed circuit diagram of the control circuit 10. In FIG. 3, reference numeral 14 denotes an inversion switch. The reversing switch 14 has reversing circuits a, b, c, and d for switching the polarity of the battery 11 in the forward and reverse directions, and further has a driving unit 15 for switching the reversing circuit. As shown in FIG. 4A, this inverting circuit performs a
-C and bd are connected, the c terminal is output as a negative signal, and the d terminal is output as a positive signal. In the latter half of the driving operation, as shown in FIG. Are connected, and the terminal c is output positive and the terminal d is output negative (FIG. 5 (a)). This repetition cycle is set to about 2 seconds.

In FIG. 3, reference numeral 16 denotes a changeover switch. The changeover switch 16 has changeover circuits e, f and g, and further has a changeover drive section 17 for changing over the changeover circuit. The switching drive unit 17 has a gravity switch 18 that receives a switching signal from the driving unit 15 and switches between directly applying the signal to the switching circuit or inverting the signal and applying the inverted signal to the switching circuit. As shown in FIG. 6, the gravity switch 18 includes electrodes h and j at both ends of an elongated tube made of an insulating material, an electrode i at the center, and a ball-shaped moving electrode k inside. The gravity switch 18 is provided in the control circuit 10 and controls the center electrode i depending on the vertical position of the brush portion 2 of the toothbrush, that is, whether the bristles 3, 4, 5, and 6 are on the right or left side of the brush portion. It contacts one of the contact electrodes h and j. The switching circuit ef
And the period for switching eg is synchronized with the inversion switch 14 and is about 2 seconds.

Next, the operation of the embodiment of the present invention will be described. First, consider a case where the user holds the toothbrush in his right hand and grinds the left half of the tooth. At this time, it is assumed that the electrode i and the electrode h of the gravity switch 18 are connected in FIG. In this state, in FIG. 7, if the brush part 2 of the toothbrush is in the position (a), that is, the position for brushing the lower jaw, the bristles 3 and 4 come into contact with the teeth 19 and the bristles 5 and 6 Is in contact with Here, as can be seen from FIG. 3, the inverting switch 14
The positive and negative switching voltages as shown in FIG. 5A are output from the terminals c and d. Since the switch 16 is also switched in synchronization with the switching of the output voltage, as shown in FIG. 5B, in the first half of the signal, the switching circuit d becomes positive and the switching circuit c becomes negative. The current is applied to the gripping electrode 12, the human body conductor path, the gingiva 20, the teeth 19, the hairs 3, 4, the conductive wire 7, the switching circuit f to the switching circuit c.
Flows to For this reason, the negatively charged bacteria near the tooth root are attracted to the vicinity of the tooth root by the electric current and are sterilized by the electric current. When using toothpaste with fluorine, fluorine ions are incorporated into the teeth. As shown in FIG. 5C, in the latter half of the signal, the switching circuit c becomes positive and the switching circuit d becomes negative.
Since the changeover switch 16 is also switched to connect the e terminal and the g terminal, the current flows through the changeover circuit g, the conductive wire 8, the hairs 5 and 6,
It flows along the route of the gingiva 20, human body conductor path, gripping electrode 12, and switching circuit d. This current route can also remove bactericidal and plaque-forming proteins when the mouth is neutral.

Assuming that the brush portion 2 of the toothbrush is in the position shown in FIG. 7B, that is, the position for brushing the upper and lower jaws, the bristles 3 and 4 come into contact with the teeth 19 and the bristles 5 and 6 are brought into contact with the teeth 19.
Is in contact with As can be seen from FIG. 3, a positive / negative switching voltage as shown in FIG. 5A is output from the c terminal and the d terminal of the inverting switch 14 in response to the switching signal from the driving unit 15. Since the switch 16 is also switched in synchronization with the switching of the output voltage, the switching circuit d becomes positive and the switching circuit c becomes negative in the first half of the signal, so that the current flows through the gripping electrode 12, the human body conductor, It flows from the gingiva 22, the teeth 21, the bristle 3, 4, the conductive wire 7, and the switching circuit f to the switching circuit c. Therefore, the negatively charged bacteria near the root of the upper jaw are attracted to the vicinity of the root by the electric current and are sterilized by the electric current. In the latter half of the signal, the switching circuit c becomes positive and the switching circuit d becomes negative, and the switching switch 16 is also switched to connect the terminals e and g. , 6, tooth 19, human body conductor path, gripping electrode 12,
It flows through the route of the switching circuit d. In this current route, for example, when fluorine-based toothpaste is used, ionized fluorine is taken into the teeth 19.

Assuming that the brush portion 2 of the toothbrush is at the position shown in FIG. 7C, that is, at the position where the upper teeth 21 and the gingiva 22 are polished, the bristles 3 and 4 come into contact with the gingiva 22 and the bristles 5 and 6 come into contact. It is in contact with the tooth 21. Here, as can be seen from FIG. 3, the inverting switch 14
The positive and negative switching voltages as shown in FIG. 5A are output from the terminals c and d. Since the switch 16 is also switched in synchronization with the switching of the output voltage, the switching circuit d becomes positive and the switching circuit c becomes negative in the first half of the signal, so that the current flows through the gripping electrode 12, the human body conductor, It flows from the gingiva 22, hairs 3, 4, the conductive wire 7, and the switching circuit f to the switching circuit c. Therefore, the negatively charged bacteria near the root of the upper jaw are attracted to the vicinity of the root by the electric current and are sterilized by the electric current. In the latter half of the signal, the switching circuit c becomes positive and the switching circuit d becomes negative, and the switching switch 16 is also switched to connect the terminals e and g. , 6, teeth 21, human body conductor path, gripping electrode 12,
It flows through the route of the switching circuit d. In this current route, for example, when fluorine-based toothpaste is used, ionized fluorine is taken into the teeth 19.

As shown in FIG. 7D, when the back side of the teeth is ground, the gravity switch 18 is switched to delay the operation of the changeover switch 180 by 180 degrees. Current flows and performs the same operation as described above. Also, when the user holds the toothbrush in the left hand and grinds the right half of the tooth, the gravity switch 18 switches the circuit appropriately and performs the same operation as the previous period.

Although the present invention has been described with reference to the above-described embodiments, various modifications and applications are possible within the scope of the present invention, and these modifications and applications are not excluded from the scope of the present invention. Absent.

[0016]

As described in detail above, the present invention provides
One-sided conductive bristles planted in the brush portion of the toothbrush, the other-sided conductive bristles insulated from the bristles, and the polarity of the voltage alternately applied to these conductive bristles A switching circuit, a gripping electrode provided on a handle portion opposite to the brush portion, and a battery for supplying power to the conductive hair via the control circuit and the gripping electrode. Since the electronic toothbrush is provided, the electric current can be intensively applied to the teeth or gums using the bristle of the brush as an electrode. In addition, with one electronic toothbrush, fluorine ions can be reliably introduced into the tooth, bacteria can be effectively eliminated, and a plaque-forming element and plaque can be removed.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a side view of an electronic brush.

FIG. 2 is a front view of a brush unit.

FIG. 3 is a circuit diagram of a control circuit.

FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating the operation of an inversion switch.

FIG. 5 is a time chart showing a voltage application state of each unit.

FIG. 6 is a sectional view of a gravity switch.

FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram of the operation of the electronic device in the mouth of the brush.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1... Toothbrush body 2... Brush part 3... Bristles 4... Bristles 5... Bristles 6... Bristles 7. Conductive wire 8 ... Conductive wire 9 ... Pattern portion 10 ... Control circuit 11 ... Battery 12 ... Grasping electrode 13 ... Conductive circuit 14 ····· Reversal switch 15 ···· Drive unit 16 ··· Switch switch 17 ··· Switch drive unit 18 ··· Gravity switch 19 ··· Tooth 20 ··· ... Gum 21 ... Gum 22 ... Gum

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A conductive hair on one side implanted in a brush portion of a toothbrush, a conductive hair on the other side implanted insulated from the hair, and alternately applied to the conductive hair. A control circuit for switching the polarity of the voltage to be applied, a gripping electrode provided on the handle portion opposite to the brush portion, a battery for supplying power to the conductive hair via the control circuit and the gripping electrode,
An electronic toothbrush comprising: 2. The electronic toothbrush according to claim 1, wherein a plus is applied to the hair on one side in the first half of the application of the voltage, and a minus is applied to the hair on the other side in the second half of the voltage. 3. The electronic toothbrush according to claim 1, wherein the electric current flowing through the conductive hair flows through a hand of a human body to a battery as a power supply.